Imperial Dynasties in the Wend Wall.

The Emperor is said to be a paranoid “god” ever since the Revolts of the Wall hundreds of years ago. Although he has not faced any serious threat to his power since then, those events are said to haunt him. This is why he surrounds himself with the largest army in Renata, and it is also why the most important positions in the state are staffed with his own progeny.   The idea of staffing important positions with children of the ruler’s own dynasty is an ancient one. It is common among the rulers of the city states of Haru  to use this strategy. However, it has the potential to backfire, as these positions give the children an independent power base from which they can attempt to eliminate rivals, or even their royal father if they are particularly ambitious. This is less of a problem in The Wend Wall . The Emperor’s immortality means his sons have little chance of ever inheriting. They are not true gods and could never hold the throne even if the Emperor should die.   The number of high offices in the Empire means there is a need for many children each year. Chapter 9 elaborates on how the Imperial Concubines  are utilized to produce and educate these children.   When a son of the emperor has a child of his own he founds his own dynasty. These dynasties are often short lived as the emperor’s consent is required before his descendants can marry and have children. The Emperor often attempts to limit the number of dynastic heirs by denying his children and grandchildren the right to marry. Those dynasties which are allowed to grow tend over time to develop rivalries with each other. Especially when they operate in proximity to each other over time, for example by holding posts in the same city or province. These rivalries can sometimes grow violent. More commonly they are played out relatively peacefully through the mechanisms of government. In the rare cases where there emperor’s gaze is drawn to these disputes the participants tend to regret it.   How many offices need to be filled varies year to year. The officer class of the Green Banner Army is nearly exclusively staffed with the Emperor’s spawn. This accounts for around 5500 officers. Then comes the upper echelons of The Civil Service , perhaps 3000 posts of sufficient prestige to warrant an Imperial Dynast. Although appointment to these positions can also be given to ‘commoners’. Then then there is the priesthood, with a few hundred positions which might be given to members of Imperial Dynasties. All in all around 9000 positions in the state are open to the Emperor’s children and descendants. The Wend Wall is the most terrific example of nepotism on a grand scale which has ever existed.   The Emperor only truly trusts his own true children. Thus, his grandchildren tend to receive less prestigious positions in the state, and his great grandchildren even lesser appointments. Old imperial dynasties therefore tend to be far less powerful than new ones. One way to alleviate this is for the scions of old dynasties to marry one of the Emperor’s daughters. Children of such unions are normally trusted on par with any other grandchild of the emperor. Another use for the daughters is to marry into foreign royal families. The rulers of the independent cities in northern Pelagus , or the city states of The Crimson Coast  are popular destinations for daughters of the Emperor. Great prestige is attached to marriage to a god’s child after all.